Once again, I found myself wandering around Eastern Europe. In February 2020, I visited Romania for the first time. Even though I was on a tight schedule due to working on some side projects, I decided to spend a couple of days in Romania’s capital, Bucharest. I was interested in exploring the city and also visiting the Palace of the Parliament. Moreover, I’ve been looking forward to shooting some street photography in Bucharest.
Although I found myself shooting different kinds of photos lately, I often say that I can’t really understand a city if I don’t take some candid portraits. Now, Eastern Europe is always a must for street photographers. Honestly, in comparison with places like Berlin, it feels like a different era.
From my personal experience, people in Eastern Europe won’t usually feel offended if you point your camera toward them. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be cautious or follow your gut instinct. But as a rule of thumb, I always felt more comfortable taking candid photos in Eastern Europe than in its Western counterpart.
Street photography in Bucharest
Shooting street photography in Bucharest turned out to be fun. Although I had a limited amount of time in the city, I took several photos. I have to be honest here: the city didn’t impress me as much as other Eastern European capitals. One of the main reasons is that Bucharest is changing faster than capitals like Kyiv, Minsk, or even Chisinau. Despite having all the typical elements of Eastern Europe, Bucharest is a city in transition. It becomes a more Western capital, and this is visible in both its atmosphere and development.
For example, one might expect that a prime spot to shoot street photography in Bucharest is the Old Town. Cobblestoned streets, loads of people, low buildings that let the light go through for several hours. But here’s the thing: the Old Town of Bucharest surrendered fast to a dubious quality of tourism. Exactly like in Krakow, you see fewer and fewer locals. The Old City of Bucharest is nowadays a place solely for aggressive locals advertising restaurant menus and strip clubs. Apparently, that’s the future that the city embraced for itself. On top, you’ll often receive irony if you show no interest in what it’s to offer.
All that said, one could easily ask? Is there any space for street photography in Bucharest? Sure, and actually, plenty of it. Just not in the Old Town, at least for my taste. Please don’t take me wrong here: I’m not talking about ethics or even aesthetics. What I’m saying here is that the interesting figures, the ones that a street photographer would love to take a photo of, are not walking in the streets of the Old Town.
I took my favorite street photos from Bucharest in the boulevards outside the heart of the Old Town. That’s still the city center, but it’s not the most picturesque area. Places like the PiaÈ›a Unirii, the Calea Mosilor, or the eastern end of Boulevardul Carol I represent way better Bucharest’s life. It’s not everything about tourism there; on the contrary, tourism didn’t touch that much those streets. For the ones searching for even more authentic areas, the Gara de Nord train station or the Pantelimon neighborhood can be really a paradise. However, be double cautious in these areas.
My street photos from Bucharest
It started as an experiment, but to this day, I still run my travel blog by using exclusively the Ricoh GR ii. I never thought that I would so much love a camera, but the Ricoh is a pleasure to travel with. I have to admit, though, that I had luck with the weather. Even though it was mid-February, it was surprisingly sunny in Bucharest. The Ricoh is really a workhorse, and when it comes to sunny days, I find it unbeatable. However, under gloomy skies, it’s having some issues, and at night is hard to shoot. Nonetheless, I was happy that the camera -once again- didn’t disappoint me.
The photos you will see in this small photo report from Bucharest are all taken with the Ricoh GR ii, and the photos are post-processed with my Ricoh Lightroom Presets.
So let’s start with the candid portraits from Bucharest.
Bucharest street photography
I walked a couple of times the Boulevardul Carol I, and I most of the time, stumbled upon interesting faces. One of the first street photos I took in Bucharest was of a couple waiting for the bus.
The second day, after walking for several hours, I thought of taking a break. I found myself at the crossroads of two big avenues, and the trams were busy. I saw people embarking and disembarking, but they didn’t seem to pay any attention to me or my camera. Only an older lady turned her head towards me.
The following image is from the same tram spot as well. You can see his face, but his hoodie with the F-word somehow made me take a photo.
The next photo is slightly soft on the edges, but I wanted to have a photo from a fast-food locale. I’m posting it here mainly because I liked the reflection and the colors.
Close to the University of Bucharest, I spotted a man waiting to cross the Calea Victoriei. That’s one of the most famous streets of Bucharest, and it’s probably the only one that looks really upscale. The man was standing next to me, and I tried to take some photos from the hip.
There’s a yard at the Stavropoleos Church (more info in one of the next photos). A man was walking there, and he paid attention to every single detail.
In February 2020, the Coronavirus was slowly entering European news. There wasn’t even a discussion if we should or shouldn’t wear masks. In Bucharest, I saw people wearing masks outdoors for the first time.
The tour of the Palace of the Parliament was one of the most interesting things I did in Bucharest. I think it’s a must-see for everybody. Although I was occupied with taking photos of the interior, I took a photo of a woman in one of the rooms. She was listening to the tour guide, and she seemed to be very focused.
The Boulevardul Unirii is always full of people. It’s actually one of the best places in Bucharest to catch the local vibe. You’ll see avenues, tram stops, and non-stop traffic. Standing in the traffic light is always a good option. The way that man looked at the woman attracted me.
The last one is also from the Stavropoleos Church. That’s the most famous church of Bucharest and a place where Eastern Orthodox nuns reside. The photo is rather dark, but I always like to push the Ricoh to its limits.
And that’s it with my street photos from Bucharest. I hope you enjoyed both the candid photos and the info about the city. Below you can find some more of my street photography reports. Don’t forget to join the mailing list if you’d like to see more.
More street photography reports: Ferry Tales, The Glaswegians, Street Photos from Berlin, Farewell to Ricoh GR II
More Bucharest: A travelogue, My travel guide
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Last Updated on August 19, 2023 by George Pavlopoulos
Hi George, what are your plans now that summer is near? Are you planning to go anywhere? Is Greece a feel good place at the moment? Where are you basing yourself for the rest of the year?
Another thing, I’m curious to know whether you have Albania and Turkey on your must visit list. I think it would be fascinating if you explore these parts. It would be pretty cheap and you would get a lot of great content out of it. Even if you only spend a couple of days there. All the best, John
Hey John!
Well, I still have no plans. But I definitely plan to travel a bit -even though it won’t be anything too ambitious. I’m currently in Athens, and I think I’ll stay here for the best part of the summer. Traveling to a couple of Greek islands is definitely on my list, but as I said, I still don’t have concrete plans. I got my first vaccine dose earlier this week, and I still have one more mid-July. Hopefully, and if the situation allows it, I will be more active from October on: I want to travel a bit, and I also want to spend some time in Berlin this year after a long pause.
Greece feels good right now. Apart from wearing masks everywhere, everything else feels the same. When the silly curfew is finally lifted (it’s currently at 00:30), I think that we will have some normality. But it feels already like summer -actually, the weather is warm since mid-April. So I guess Greece is a good place to be right now.
I have been to Turkey several years ago, but I would love to revisit it and explore it further. Istanbul is a gem; it’s easily one of my favorite cities. As for Albania, I haven’t visited it yet. I would love to, but given the restrictions, I think it has to wait a bit.
And you, John? How are you doing? Is the situation still relaxed in Australia? Do you have any travel plans?
Doing ok. Australia is good with no major issues. I haven’t worn a mask at all, really, which I’m so glad about because when I did wear one for a few days, it was horrible.
In Australia, the international borders look like they’ll be closed until at least May 2022. That’s only an estimate, so next year it still looks as if Australians won’t be able to travel overseas.
They have a travel bubble with New Zealand now, but I have been to New Zealand three times already, once driving around the North Island, once to walk the Milford Track, and once to go snowboarding, where I busted my knee.
I think my first overseas holiday will be somewhere like the Cook Islands. I feel like a tropical vacation. Or maybe Bali. Until then, I will explore more of my own backyard.
Well, given the current situation, being in a safe country sounds good. I bet Australia has so many places to see and explore. It always sounded to me like a road trip paradise. I have never visited Australia so far, but I think if I ever do, I’ll have to hire a car and explore non-stop.
Wearing a mask is something I got used to, but it is horrible. Especially now that it’s getting hot in Greece, it’s almost unbearable. I hope that we will soon exit this dystopia, John and that we’ll enjoy some good days.
George, if you ever decide to do a road trip in Australia read my post: 12 Best Road Trips in Australia (Iconic Drives)
I have named all of the twelve drives after a Greek God or a Greek myth association. I think the best drive for you in Australia would be Great Magnetic Orpheus.
Excellent resource, John 🙂 I will make sure to use it -I’d love to visit Australia one day.
Hey, nice pics! I am in Romania right now. Greetings! 🙂
Hey Valentina!
Oh, that’s so great to hear! I hope you’re having a great time in Romania!
Take care and best regards,
George